The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial in New York was informed of a comment posted on the court’s Facebook page by a person claiming to be a juror’s cousin predicting Trump’s conviction. The comment was made in response to a routine court system notice and no evidence was provided to support the claim. The poster’s Facebook page indicated they were a “professional sh*t poster,” casting doubt on the validity of the claim. The judge notified both legal teams about the post as a precautionary measure, but it does not have an immediate impact on the case.
The court, upon learning of the Facebook post, did not ask the parties to take any further action regarding the claim of Trump’s impending conviction. The comment has since been removed from the court’s Facebook page, and a spokesperson for the court confirmed that they had informed the parties once they became aware of the post. The judge’s notification to the legal teams serves to provide them with any information that might give them the basis for a motion, but there is a long process involved in determining the validity of such claims and any legal remedies that may be necessary.
Despite the claim made by the person on Facebook that Trump would be convicted, if it were found to be true, it would not automatically result in a mistrial. The jury had begun deliberations on May 29 and sent questions to the judge about certain testimonies and instructions before returning with a verdict later that day. The jurors requested to hear portions of testimonies from key witnesses and a part of the judge’s instruction to the jury before reaching a decision just after 4:30 p.m. that day. The judge’s notice to the legal teams was a precautionary measure to keep them informed but does not have a direct impact on the case.
CNN has attempted to contact the person who made the comment on Facebook claiming to be a juror’s cousin, but no further information has been provided to substantiate the claim. The judge’s notification to the legal teams is part of the judicial process to ensure that all parties are informed of any potential issues that arise during the trial. According to legal analysts, the judge is being cautious in sharing this information, but any impact on the case would require further investigation to determine the validity of the claim and whether any legal remedies are necessary. The claim of Trump’s conviction made on the court’s Facebook page remains unverified and does not directly impact the ongoing trial at this point.
